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| 1 | SENATE RESOLUTION | ||||||
| 2 | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate wish to | ||||||
| 3 | congratulate Anderson's Bookshop in Naperville on the occasion | ||||||
| 4 | of celebrating its 150th anniversary in 2025, marking a | ||||||
| 5 | century and a half of fostering a love of reading; and | ||||||
| 6 | WHEREAS, The roots of Anderson's Bookshop trace back to | ||||||
| 7 | the opening of W. W. Wickel Pharmacy in Naperville in 1875, | ||||||
| 8 | where books, gifts, and toys were sold by W. W. Wickel, the | ||||||
| 9 | great-great-grandfather of the bookstore's current owner, and | ||||||
| 10 | his son-in-law, Louis Oswald; and | ||||||
| 11 | WHEREAS, The descendants of W. W. Wickel remained | ||||||
| 12 | dedicated to literature, leading to the establishment of the | ||||||
| 13 | family's first official bookstore, Paperback Paradise, in | ||||||
| 14 | 1964, and this bookstore laid the foundation for the beloved | ||||||
| 15 | Anderson's Bookshop of today; and | ||||||
| 16 | WHEREAS, Anderson's Bookshop has grown and evolved over | ||||||
| 17 | five generations of family ownership, expanding to include a | ||||||
| 18 | location in Downers Grove, the bookfair wholesaler Anderson's | ||||||
| 19 | Bookfair Company (ABCFairs) in Aurora, and the independent | ||||||
| 20 | store Anderson's Toyshop in Naperville; and | ||||||
| 21 | WHEREAS, Even in a changing literary landscape, Anderson's | ||||||
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| 1 | Bookshop has continued to thrive, with knowledgeable staff, | ||||||
| 2 | hundreds of author events, engaging community programs, book | ||||||
| 3 | groups, and literature conferences; it has also contributed to | ||||||
| 4 | its community through Anderson's Bookfair Company, which has | ||||||
| 5 | raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to support literacy | ||||||
| 6 | and education in local schools; and | ||||||
| 7 | WHEREAS, Anderson's Bookshop has been recognized for its | ||||||
| 8 | excellence and impact through numerous accolades, including | ||||||
| 9 | being named the 2010 Small Business of the Year by the | ||||||
| 10 | Naperville Chamber of Commerce and the 2011 Publisher's Weekly | ||||||
| 11 | Bookstore of the Year, and it also received the 2015 Lucille | ||||||
| 12 | Pannell Award for Best Children's Bookseller (General store) | ||||||
| 13 | in the nation; and | ||||||
| 14 | WHEREAS, Anderson's Bookshop is currently operated by | ||||||
| 15 | fifth generation owner Becky Anderson, who became sole owner | ||||||
| 16 | of the business after her brothers, Tres and Pete Anderson, | ||||||
| 17 | retired in 2022; through her, the business has continued its | ||||||
| 18 | multigenerational tradition of family working alongside one | ||||||
| 19 | another while fostering a strong sense of community among | ||||||
| 20 | themselves and their employees and with their customers; | ||||||
| 21 | therefore, be it | ||||||
| 22 | RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL | ||||||
| 23 | ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate | ||||||
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| 1 | Anderson's Bookshop on achieving its 150th anniversary, and we | ||||||
| 2 | acknowledge its enduring legacy as a cornerstone of the | ||||||
| 3 | Naperville and surrounding communities, its unwavering | ||||||
| 4 | commitment to promoting literacy and a love of books, and its | ||||||
| 5 | significant contributions as a true community partner; and be | ||||||
| 6 | it further | ||||||
| 7 | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | ||||||
| 8 | presented to the owner and staff of Anderson's Bookshop as an | ||||||
| 9 | expression of our esteem and respect. | ||||||